Macra gets DPP nod to squeeze corruption whistleblower with private prosecution

Determined to cover up stinking corruption at Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra), Director General Godfrey Itaye on Thursday engaged an extra gear by obtaining consent from the Director of Public Prosecution to privately prosecute a former employee suspected of whistle blowing into  two multi-million kwacha contracts alleged to have dubiously awarded last year.

Sitting at Blantyre Chief Resident Magistrate Court private law firm M&M Global, paid by tax-payers money, produced a letter of consent to prosecute former procurement manager Aitone Chandiyang’ana.

Chief  Resident Magistrate Balaka however adjourned the case to October 9 since Chandiyanga’d lawyer Chancy Gondwe was attending another matter at the Supreme Court of Malawi.

Chindiyangana is suspected to have leaked  details of stinking corruptiom at Macra implicating  Director General Godfrey Itaye, Procurement Specialist Joseph Bauti Ngalawa and Deputy Administration Director Henry Macheso.

The corruption involving up to K135 million fake Fattani Duplicators development calenders, fraudulent fuel claims from Nyambadwe Puma Filling Station, Car track Contract, Color Printers and LED Television sets among others made headlines when the  Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and forensic audit experts camped at Macra for weeks on end.

A top leading and experienced lawyer said Macra was hiding behind the Oath of Secerecy Act to engage in rampant corruption, yet the same organisation boasts of an anti corruption policy which encourages employees to whistleblow corrupt issues.

During the hearing, a composed Chandiyangana donning  a black suit and a red neck tie,  he looked at Macra ICT Manager and main witness  Christopher Banda, with a sober gaze.

Magistrate Balaka demanded that all Macra witnesses appear before his court on October 9.

Leading Malawi daily newspaper The Nation blew the alleged corruption story after a series of articles by Nyasa Times online .

The graft-busting body launched its investigations early  after receiving a complaint from a whistle blower on the alleged dealings at Macra.

The ACB is yet to make its findings known, but sources claimed Itaye was using underhand tactics to silence the ACB and Pricewaterhouse who have scathing details of the stinking corruption.